


Bitter Frost

by IvanW



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: 1950s, All Roads Lead to Spirk, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Time, Gay Sex, M/M, Mystery, References to Homophobia, Saving Jim, Suspense, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2019-06-28 09:58:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15704937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvanW/pseuds/IvanW
Summary: Spock travels back in time to the Eastern United States in the 1950s to save Jim's ancestor from being murdered by alien time travelers, thus ensuring James T. Kirk is never born.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AN:  
> The Jim that you will read about in this story, for the most part, is James Tiberius Kirk's ancestor, rather than Captain Kirk himself. But you will find he has many similarities with my typical Jim characters, thus why Spock finds him...fascinating. But never fear, our dear James T appears in the final chapter.

“Hey! Are you okay? Hello. Can you hear me? Oh, man. You must be freezing.”

Spock blinked rapidly and his vision began to clear. Someone was rubbing him frantically, his frozen limbs, and he had to admit it felt good.

A man leaned over him and Spock’s breath caught in his throat.

_Jim._

Startled blue eyes stared down at him. “How’d you know my name?’

Spock shook his head.

“Never mind.” Jim glanced to the side and then back to Spock. “We should get you up and out of here. Can you walk?”

It had taken a moment for Spock’s universal translator, carefully hidden amongst his clothing, to kick in. English. American English.

“Yes, I believe I am capable,” Spock replied carefully.

Jim reached down and helped Spock up from the snow bank. “Bad place for you to pass out. Have you been drinking?”

He had an accent, Spock noted. Eastern United States. New England. That made sense since that was where the Enterprise had advised Spock should go. He had prepared as best he could, wearing appropriate attire for the time period, and a woolen cap upon his head to hide his pointed ears.

“I do not drink.”

Jim stepped close enough to Spock that he could smell a spicy sort of aftershave. He was sniffing Spock. “All right. Sure. I don’t smell anything. Anyway, we’d better get you inside.”

As Jim linked his arm through Spock’s and around his waist, Spock was able to tell that this Jim was perhaps an inch or two shorter than the James T. Kirk he knew on the Enterprise. But otherwise, he could have been Spock’s Jim. Not that Jim had belonged to Spock. He’d wanted that, yes, but it was so very complicated.

Jim led him up a cobbled twisted path to the front door of a small house, more of a cottage, really. Jim fished into the pants he wore and then pulled out what looked to be an old key. He opened the door and then pulled Spock inside, flicking a switch on the wall that illuminated the room in light.

“You’re lucky you passed out where you did,” Jim was saying as he removed his heavy black overcoat. “A few feet to the left and you’d have fallen in the water. Probably drowned.”

It was true that Spock had not been sure where exactly he would arrive in Jim’s small New England town. He had not intended to find himself lying in a frozen heap of wet white stuff.

Jim hung up his coat and then removed his own wool hat. He placed both of them on a wooden pole with arms. He wore jeans and a blue flannel shirt that set off his extremely blue eyes even more. He was absolutely stunning.

“I’m Jim, by the way. Jim Kirk.” He frowned. “Did you know my name?”

“Someone mentioned you in town,” Spock said. “I am Spock.”

“Spock? Kind of a strange name. What’s your full name?”

“Just Spock.”

Jim smiled a little. “Well. Okay. We should get you out of those clothes and into something warmer. I have a robe you can wear I guess while your clothes dry. Not sure I have like pants and things to fit you.”

Apparently this Jim was something of a babbler, Spock noted. Jim left him standing in the front hall as he disappeared toward the bedrooms.

Spock glanced around. It was a simple layout with just a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen, and a breakfast nook. The corridor Jim had gone through was short and led to what appeared to be three bedrooms and a bathroom.

  Jim reappeared holding what Spock recalled was a terrycloth robe. It was a dark burgundy color. “My sister gave me this for last Christmas. Anyway, the bathroom’s there, so why don’t you take those off and put this on.” He thrust it at Spock, who took it. “I have some bean soup I’ll heat up. You want some coffee or something?”

“If you have tea, I would be appreciative.”

“Sure, I have tea. I even have hot chocolate if that’s your preference.”

“Not tonight, thank you.”

He took the robe and went into the bathroom, removing the cold, wet clothing. The robe smelled a little like the spicy aftershave Jim wore. He surveyed the bathroom cabinets and discovered a bottle of what was called, _Old Spice_. 

Spock eyed himself in the mirror and decided except for his ears, he passed easily for a human here. He would be forced to leave on the cold, wet woolen cap on so as not to startle Jim.

Spock had to be very careful. He did not know exactly what date the computer had chosen for him. He had instructed the computer to make sure that it would be well in advance of the day he came to prevent. 

He was here to make sure that this human, his captain’s ancestor, was not murdered.

Spock emerged from the bathroom to the scent of beans, onions, carrots and celery. With Jim heating vegetarian soup he did not yet have to explain he did not eat meat. He was certain that time would come, however, as his research of the time period indicated there’d be very few Humans who would have his preferences.

His heart skipped in his side at the side of this different Jim standing in the kitchen, stirring a pot of soup. He’d only recently come to the realization that he’d fallen in love with his captain, that he’d fallen in love with James Kirk. And now as he came to save Jim, both his captain, and this man who looked so much like him—

“Oh hey,” Jim greeted him with a smile as he turned from the stove, noticing Spock standing there. “You should get rid of your hat. I’m sure it’s wet.”

“I have a physical deformity that would likely startle you,” Spock said neutrally.

Jim snorted at that. “Doubtful. I’m not that easily startled. Go ahead. You’re going to want it to dry too.”

Reluctantly, Spock removed the cap, waiting for Jim’s reaction to his pointed ears. For a moment, Jim puckered his lips. Spock had no idea what biases the Jim of this time would have. This was long ago in Earth’s history.

“Well, okay. You probably need to wear your cap outside and around town,” Jim said. “The people around here aren’t the most open-minded bunch. Don’t really like anyone who’s different, if you know what I mean.”

“Yes.”

“But here it’s fine. There’s no reason to hide yourself around me, Spock.”

“Very well,” Spock agreed, somewhat relieved at Jim’s non-reaction. He set aside the cap on another surface for it to dry.

“Sit on down there at the table and I’ll bring you a bowl of soup, yeah?”

Spock did as Jim said. He had an usual way of speaking. He supposed it was that New England accent he was unused to. It was not unpleasant, but a little odd coming from Jim. He had to keep reminding himself that this was not his Jim. Not that he had Jim. But Spock hoped. If he could fix this.

He watched as Jim spooned soup into two cobalt blue bowls that kind of reminded Spock of this Jim’s eyes. They were, somehow, a slightly richer, darker shade of blue. His overall appearance was stunning, just as his captain’s was.

“Here you are. Good, yeah?” Jim said as he set the bowls down. One in front of Spock and the other in front of the seat Spock supposed Jim would take. “I’ve got some warm rolls. That’ll do the trick.”

Spock watched him as he walked back into the kitchen. Though his jeans were somewhat baggier than the trousers his captain normally wore, there was no mistaking the rounded cheeks within. He distracted himself by spooning a large bite of soup and promptly burned his tongue.

Jim laughed. “Easy there. Now you’ve gone and burned it, yeah? The bread and butter help.”

He took his seat and pushed a basket full of steaming rolls toward Spock.

“Where are you from?” Jim asked. “Not from here, right?”

“No. It is a little…West from here.”

Jim nodded. “I thought so. You don’t sound like a local. Where are you staying?”

“Nowhere at present. I only just arrived in town.”

Jim fell silent as they both turned to the soup. Spock felt Jim’s eyes on him and when he looked over Jim smiled. “Good, yeah?”

“It is unexpectedly appealing.”

He laughed at that. “I’ll try not to be terribly insulted at your doubting my cooking. You’ve got a job?”

“No,” Spock admitted.

At that Jim shook his head. “No job and no place to stay? You’re running from some place, I’d say. Or someone. Are you in trouble, Spock?”

“My current circumstances necessitated coming here.”

The laugh again. “That’s about as vague a response as I’ve ever heard.” He picked up his cup of tea and eyed Spock over the rim of the cup. “I guess you can stay here for now. You have any weapons?”

“I do not.”

“I didn’t feel any when I helped you in the house,” Jim said with a nod. “All right, the bedroom across from the bathroom is yours for as long as you need it.”

“That is very generous of you, Mr. Kirk.”

“No such formality here. I’m just Jim. It would be nice if you could help around the house a bit when you get the chance. Dishes, a little cooking if you can, that kind of thing. I have a radio if you like to listen. And lots of books if you’re into reading. I’m afraid I don’t lead a very sophisticated life.”

“It is fine.”

The thing about this Jim is he should never have been a victim. He did not live dangerously. At all. Spock had researched him so he knew everything there was to know about this Jim before this point. And he also knew everything there was to know about him if history had not been changed and he’d been murdered.

He was not, as crime experts would say, a high risk individual. In fact, quite the opposite. In approximately two years, he should meet a woman named Sadie Carstairs, who would eventually become Sadie Kirk. Jim and Sadie Kirk had five children. Sadie died at the age of seventy-nine. Jim outlived her by six years and died in his eighties.

Or he had until the Marconians had changed everything.

It was Spock’s sworn duty to change it back. To make sure that the Jim Kirk sitting across from him, looking every bit like his captain, except for the darker blue eyes and the height difference, lived to fall in love with Sadie Carstairs.

And not Spock.

Of course not.


	2. Chapter 2

It was cold here and Spock did not like it. It was a bitter seep into your very bones cold. A cold that stayed with you even after you started to get warm again. Bitter. But as Spock contemplated this Jim’s fate, if Spock could not change it, the cold froze his very heart. 

Already he was becoming attached to Jim. In only a few hours. He realized much of that attachment came from the attachment he had to his captain, the one day relative of the man now before him.

Jim had announced that Spock could help him wash the dishes. This was a peculiar time period when much of the later convenience machinery did not yet exist and Jim washed their soup bowls and spoons in a sink full of sudsy water. 

Spock had been given the task of drying the dishes and so he held an old thing flour sack that had been made into a towel. He noted at the bottom of sad towel someone had stitched the day of the week, in this case, Tuesday.

Jim seemed to notice his attention to the detail. He smiled. “Oh. Yeah. My sister gave me those too. She embroidered the days of the week into them. I have a whole set.”

“It is Tuesday then?”

Jim shook his head. “Nah, it’s Thursday. I never use them in order. Drives her crazy.”

Spock nodded as though he understood but he was not sure he quite did. “Does your sister live in this city as well?”

“It’s not really a city. At least I think in the sense you mean.” Jim handed him a bowl. “More like a town. We don’t even have a city council. Closest one is the next town over.”

“And your sister?”

Jim laughed at that. “You telling me to get to it, then, Spock?”

He was not in fact. He rather liked this Jim’s babbling. There were times when his captain was really quite reticent. It was strange to Spock that he found most Humans to be entirely too chatty, except for his captain. The one Human he wanted to speak with more held back far more than Spock would have expected based on the basics of what he knew about Jim.

He recalled asking Doctor McCoy about it once. To see if it was just Spock that noticed Jim could be very reserved at times.

“You noticed, huh?” Leonard had said with that tell-tale smirk he wore sometimes that baffled Spock.

“Clearly or I would not have brought it up,” Spock had replied.

“Jim is not quite what people seem to think about him. There are lot of mistaken assumptions about him.”

“Such as?”

McCoy had shook his head. “You need to figure that out for yourself, Spock.”

And that had been the end of the conversation. Frustratingly so.

This Jim, the one before him now at the sink, was strikingly open.

“Anyway,” Jim said with a shrug, not waiting for Spock’s response, “she doesn’t live in the area. She lives in Boston. She’s a nurse there. We got together over the holidays, though.”

Even though he knew the answer based on his research, Spock asked about Jim’s parents anyway, aware that was the sort of interaction Humans of this time period would expect.

“And your parents?”

“Both gone. Dad was killed in a car accident, yeah? Icy road caused him to swerve and go off an embankment into a tree. Five years ago now. My mother had cancer.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

“What about you then, Spock? You have family?” He handed Spock another bowl, which Spock set to drying.

“My mother is deceased, but my father is alive,” Spock replied.

“Cancer?”

Spock was reluctant to tell Jim that his mother had fallen off a cliff and he certainly could not tell him while his planet, Vulcan, was destroyed. He shook his head. “It was an accident.”

“Well, at least you still have your father around, yeah?”

“Indeed.”

Jim turned toward the sink and pulled out a plug in the drain. “That’s done then. You must be exhausted after your ordeal.”

“My ordeal?”

“Ending up unconscious in the snow. What actually happened?”

“I lost my way.”

Jim’s lips curved. “You do like to be mysterious. All right then. I think I have some pajamas you can wear to bed, yeah?”

Spock followed Jim down the short hallway to the bedrooms. He didn’t move with quite the ease Spock’s captain did, there was an almost stiffness to his gait, like perhaps from an old injury. His research had not brought up anything but it was entirely possible that not everything that had ever happened to this Jim Kirk had been documented. It wouldn’t have been, probably.

He hung back in the doorway of Jim’s bedroom as he watched Jim rustle through drawers of a dresser.

The bedroom was decorated rustically with lots of wood accents. On the bed, which seemed to be about Earth queen-sized, was what was commonly known as a down comforter. It was blue and brown plaid, simple, yet somehow quite suitable for these surroundings and this man. The dresser appeared to be made of sturdy oak.

Jim glanced over his shoulder at Spock. “You’re taller than me but thinner too. I think these will fit you, though the bottoms might be a bit short on you. Top should be okay though.”

He withdrew two items of clothing and walked over to wear Spock stood. He thrust brown pajamas at Spock.

“Flannel, yeah? Needed around here. Figure it’s okay if they’re a bit short here, because no one will see you. But you should probably get more clothes if all you had was what you arrived in.”

“Yes, that is all I have,” Spock said, taking the pajamas. They smelled of Jim. That same very gentle hint of spice. “Thank you.”

“You’ve got no money though so I don’t what you’ll use to buy clothes,” Jim said. He laughed. “In the morning, we’ll see about finding you a job.”

“You have been more than kind.”

Jim nodded. “I know. Actually sometimes my friends tell me I’m too nice. They worry someone will take advantage of me.” He stared at Spock for a moment. There was a speculative look in those blue eyes. “You’re not going to take advantage of me, are you, Spock?”

“I am not.”

The smile came back. It was welcome.   

“Goodnight then.”

“Goodnight.” Spock took the pajamas Jim had given to him and went to the bathroom to change into them. He hung Jim’s burgundy robe on the hook behind the bathroom door and pulled on the brown flannel pants. They were very soft and as Jim had guessed they came to just above Spock’s ankles. Otherwise they were quite suitable. The shirt buttoned down the middle and had long sleeves. He put that on as well and was grateful for the warmth. Something told him he was going to be cold a lot here.

He did a fair job of brushing his teeth with toothpaste on his finger and figured he would need to spend some time securing personal hygiene items in the near future. Unfortunately, Jim was right. He had no money and he was aware that this time period relied on a monetary system.

When he stepped out of the bathroom he noticed Jim’s closed bedroom door. The rest of the house save for the overhead light in the hallway was dark. He went to the bedroom Jim had said he could use, turning on the bedroom light with a switch and off the hall light as he did so. He closed the door.

He did not have his meditation supplies, however he sat upon the dark grey carpet in the room and readied himself to meditate anyway.

Whatever the Marconians had planned, Spock would need to be ready. 


	3. Chapter 3

Spock was roused by a light tap on the bedroom door.

He’d been dreaming just before and had been grateful for the interruption. Though he could not quite recall the details of the dream, he was left feeling very unsettled by it.

He slipped out of the bed and went to open the door.

As he suspected, Jim stood there with just the slightest of smiles. He was dressed already in what looked like a thick wool charcoal gray shirt and denim pants. His hair was only slightly damp. In his arms he held Spock’s clothing.

“Mostly dry,” Jim said. “Dry enough anyway. Get dressed and we’ll go to breakfast, yeah?”

Spock opened his mouth to speak.

“I know. No money.” Jim’s smile widened. “My treat. And we’ll see about getting you some work.”

“Now is probably also a good time to advise you that I am a vegetarian.”

“A vegetarian?”

“I do not eat meat.”

“Oh. Right.” Jim’s eyebrows went up. “Well, all right then. You’re a little different, aren’t you?”

Spock nodded. “Yes.”

“Let me know when you’re ready.”

****

They walked side by side into the town. Spock was as bundled up as he could be, Jim had even loaned him a pair of gloves, somewhat bemused by Spock’s lack of proper attire. Spock had thought he had come prepared with appropriate attire for the time period, but he quickly realized he should have selected even warmer clothing. His hat worked to keep his head and ears warm at least, but his face was still chilled, even with the scarf he wore nearly wrapped around his chin.

Jim seemed to take the cold in stride, smiling as he glanced Spock’s way every once in a while. Their feet crunched on snow, though thankfully at present, no snow fell.

“Not used to this, are you?”

“I am not. Where I come from it is really quite warm.”

They approached what Spock knew to be a twentieth century eating facility known as a diner. It was a small building with a row of booths on one side against the windows, and a counter with seats facing the kitchen on the other side. The signage outside indicated the place was called _Larry’s_. 

Jim held the door for him and they entered the restaurant. He watched as Jim took two menus from an insert by the door and then led Spock over to a booth.

“No formality here,” he explained.

After they slid into the booth, an older haggard looking human wearing a smudged white apron approached them.

“Morning, Larry. How’s life treating you?” Jim asked.

“Oh, pretty good.” Larry eyed Spock. “New in town?”

“Oh, yeah. He is. Friend of mine. I can vouch for him. Coffee. You want coffee, Spock?”

“Tea, please.”

Larry narrowed his eyes. “Coming right up.” He moved away.

Jim smiled. “You have any experience, Spock?”

“Experience?”

“Work experience,” Jim said patiently.

“I am a scientist.”

Up went the eyebrows again. “Well. Not sure there are too many jobs around here requiring those kinds of skills.”

“I can do menial tasks.”

“Now, those can be used.” He laughed at that.

Larry returned with very dark looking coffee in a chipped cup which he placed in front of Jim as well as a little tin pitcher of cream. He put what looked like barely warmed water with a teabag in front of Spock.

“What will you have?”

“Try the waffles, Spock. You’ll like them.”

“Very well,” Spock agreed.

Larry nodded. “Bacon or sausage.”

“Neither.”

Larry stared at him. “Ham?”

Spock shook his head.

“Nah, it’s okay, Larry. No meat,” Jim said.

“But it comes with meat.”

“I know. But Spock, well, you know, it’s a religious thing.”

“Oh.” Larry nodded. “What about you, Jimmy?”

“Bacon and eggs. Over medium. And fried potatoes.”

Larry grinned. “Now you’re talking.”

Jim looked at Spock. “Say, Larry. Could you use some help around here?”

Larry leaned against the booth. “What you have in mind?”

“Well, right now it’s just you and Chet in the kitchen, right?”

“Yeah. Most of the time. Annie comes in couple times a week.”

Jim flicked his head in Spock’s direction. “Spock here needs some work. He could work serving tables, yeah? Give you some relief.”

Larry studied Spock. “You work as a waiter before?”

“No,” Spock said honestly.

“But he’s a real fast learner,” Jim said quickly. He tapped his head with his fingertips. “Super smart. And very polite.”

“Hmm. Well. Okay. I guess if you vouch for him, Jimmy.”

“I do.”

“Start tomorrow six am. We’re open six to two, so that’ll be your hours. Only open breakfast and lunch. Can you do five days a week?”

“I can.”

Larry nodded. “All right then. I’ll go get your breakfasts.”

Jim smiled at Spock as Larry walked away. “There you go. You got a job now, Spock.”

“Thank you, Jim. I owe that to you obviously.” Spock dipped his teabag into the barely warm water. He would definitely do something about that working there. “Where do you work, Jim?”

“I work up at the bar,” Jim explained. “It’s just up the street. I’m part owner with my friend Mike. I tend bar four nights a week except Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We’re closed then so I have those days off.  Bar opens at four and I stay until we close up.”

Spock fell silent, thinking about Jim’s murder. Based on what he’d seen before Scott had sent him to this time, Jim was attacked on his way home at about two in the morning. Likely leaving the bar he’d just mentioned to Spock. The Marconians made it look like some sort of mugging and Jim had been brutally stabbed more than fifty times. He could not allow that to happen. Not only for his captain’s sake, who would never have been born if this Jim did not meet and marry Sadie, but for this Jim’s sake. Spock did not want to see the man across from him come to such a horrific end.

“Spock?”

He met Jim’s blue gaze and felt his side twist. “Yes, Jim?”

“You okay? You got kind of a weird look on your face.”

“I am well. So you will be working later today?”

“Yes.”

Larry arrived with their breakfasts and eyed Spock. “How’s that tea?”

“Not hot.”

“Everybody’s a critic,” Larry mumbled as he walked away.

Jim laughed. “When you paid the first time we can take you shopping for more stuff. Is there anything you need now?”

“A toothbrush.”

“Didn’t think about that. Yeah. You will. When we leave here we’ll go down to the little store.”

“I would like to escort you home,” Spock said carefully as he cut off a piece of waffle.

“Excuse me?”

“When you leave the bar,” Spock explained. “I believe it would be prudent for me to walk with you.”

“I’m a grown man, Spock. I don’t need an escort. And anyway, this town is pretty safe. It’s only about a five minute walk.”

“Still.”

Jim tilted his head. “Still what? I can handle myself you know. I fought in the war.”

“The Korean conflict?”

“Yes.”

“You suffered injuries there.” Spock had not read that in Jim’s file but he suspected that accounted for the somewhat stiff gait.

For a long time Jim just stared at him. In what could only be called an assessing manner. At that moment he reminded Spock so much of his captain that Spock felt an ache in his heart.

“I did, yeah,” he said softly, his gaze moving away. “How did you know?”

“Just a hypothesis based on my observation of your movements.”

That brought out a smile again, though Spock was uncertain why, and yet it was welcome.

“You’re really kind of strange, aren’t you, Spock?” Jim laughed and waved his fork at Spock’s plate. “Good, yeah?”

Spock popped a piece of waffle into his mouth and chewed. “Indeed. Quite acceptable.”

Jim grinned and chewed some bacon. “Mine’s acceptable too.”

“May I accompany you home from the bar?” Spock pressed.

“Uh. Okay. I mean, whatever.”

“Thank you.”

Spock only hoped he could keep Jim alive. He had no idea how soon they would attack or if they would even change their methods now that he was there. They seemed oddly one step ahead. But if he could not keep Jim alive, then everything would change. Spock’s own existence could be in jeopardy.  


	4. Chapter 4

It had begun to snow about three that afternoon so as Jim approached the door of the bar, aptly named MJ’s Saloon—M for Mike and J for Jim—, he stomped the snow from his boots and opened the door.

Even though it was only now four, there were already three regulars sitting on stools on the bar, which meant Mike had opened up early for them.

“Jim!” one of the regulars, Dave, called out to him.

“Hi guys,” Jim greeted them with a smile.

The other two grunted but he took no offense. He went behind the bar, pushing through the little swinging wooden door, and to the little room in back that served as a sort of office for them. He kept the apron he wore back there.

“Mike?” he called out as he shrugged out of his heavy coat, which he hung on a peg nailed to the wall. He then wrapped his scarf over that and set his wool cap on top.

Mike appeared from the end of the office. “There you are. I want to talk to you.”

Mike was a tall, muscular man with thinning red hair. He’d known Mike since they were kids. They’d lived across the street when Mike’s family, the Flannigans, moved in. They’d been best friends ever since. Mike had gotten married last year and three months ago, he’d announced his wife, Marlene, was expecting.

“They were already waiting, huh?” Jim asked, as he tied the little black half apron he wore around his waist.

“Aren’t they usually? Never mind that. Jimmy, what’s this I hear about you having some stranger staying with you?”

“Oh.” Jim nodded. “Spock. Only not a stranger.”

“Spock? What kind of name is that? And oh? How long have you known him then?” Mike had come down the office toward him until he stood only a couple feet from Jim.

“Well. Last evening.”

“Last evening? And you say he’s not a stranger? Where’d he come from? What’s he doing? What the fuck, Jimmy?”

“He’s down on his luck, Mike.”

Mike groaned. “You can’t help everyone who’s a charity case.”

“No,” Jim agreed. “But I can help him.”

“But he could be anybody. He could rob you, murder you.”

“Nah. I don’t think he will.”

“You don’t think he will,” Mike said with a shake of his head. “You didn’t think that stray dog you took in when you were twelve would try to bite your arm off, yet you still have the scars.”

“He was scared,” Jim said simply. “That’s why.”

“God, you’re hopeless. I don’t like this, Jimmy. Some stranger shows up, what, on your doorstep?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“And you just invite him to stay with you. Get him a job at Larry’s.”

Jim nodded. He wasn’t surprised at all that Mike already knew all this. Haven’s Cove was a small town. Everyone knew everyone’s business.

Mike put his hand on Jim’s shoulder and squeezed. “I worry about you.”

“There’s no need. Really.”

“If only I could believe that. You’re too nice, Jim. People take advantage of you.”

Jim felt himself blush but he shook his head. “No, they don’t. And how can anyone be _too_ nice?”

Mike rolled his eyes. “I’ve got to get back to the books. Just…be careful. And I’m going to be watching this guy.”

He smiled. “I know. I’d better get out there to the bar.”

Jim went back out and behind the bar. Another regular had shown up while he’d been in talking to Mike. Really that’s all they ever got. Haven’s Cove wasn’t exactly on any tourist group’s list.

And with the snow falling, Jim thought some of the residents who lived a bit further from the saloon would probably choose to stay home where it was warm.

“Evening, Charlie,” Jim said to the man who’d just come in. “A beer?”

“Yeah, thanks, Jim.”

Jim poured him his usual beer and brought it over. “How’s Susan?”

“Doing good. I asked her to come down with me but she didn’t want to leave her stitching. Especially with it snowing.”

“Oh, yeah. I think it’ll be quiet tonight.”

“Hear you have a house guest,” Charlie said as he lifted his beer to his lips.

“Nice fella.”

“Mm. I guess I’ll see when I go to Larry’s tomorrow for breakfast.”

Jim smiled. “Yep.” He glanced at the window and noticed it was snowing harder. “Say, Charlie. You and Susan still thinking of leaving Haven’s Cove?”

Charlie shrugged. “Oh, aye. We’re still thinking about it. Out west. To California maybe. Where it’s warm.”

“That does sound nice. Especially now.”

“What about you, Jim? Think you’ll ever leave.”

“Sometimes I think about it,” Jim admitted. “Moving west. Not as far as California, mind you. Somewhere in the middle. Maybe Iowa.”

“Iowa?” Charlie laughed. “What the hell is in Iowa?”

“Nothing, I guess.” Jim grinned. “But what’s in Haven Cove, Massachusetts?”

“Can’t argue with that. Listen, Jim, you be careful with that house guest of yours. We all know how you are so no one’s real surprised, but you be careful.”

“I know, I know. I’m too nice.”

“Well.” Charlie shrugged again.

Jim shook his head. “Best go see what Pete wants. He’s waving at me from the other end.”

They ended up deciding to close a little earlier than usual, at eleven, because just after ten everyone had bundled themselves up and took themselves home. The snow was getting heavier still and there’d been some predictions it might turn into a blizzard overnight. No one wanted to have to deal with that, even for a short walk.

Jim let Mike go home right after that while he dealt with cleaning up. By the time he finished and put his own coat, scarf, and hat on, it was about fifteen after eleven.

He stepped out of the bar and locked the door and then turned in surprise to see Spock walking up.

“Spock?”

“Hello Jim.”

“You might be crazy. What are you doing here?”

“I said I wanted to escort you home,” Spock reminded him.

“Well, sure. But it’s snowing like a bitch. I didn’t expect you’d want to come out in this. Don’t tell me you’ve been waiting out here for me.”

“For a short time.”

Jim shook his head. “You could have come inside. Next time, you come in. Do you know how easy it is to freeze to death? Have you got any sense?”

He began to walk toward home with Spock falling into step beside him.

“Anyway, no one but the two of us is foolish enough to be out in this at this point,” Jim said with a shake of his head. “No muggers or whatever you think will happen.”

“Where I come from, one has to be careful.”

“Nothing ever happens here, Spock.” Just then his foot hit a rock and he started slipping on the icy snow. “Oh shoot.”

Spock’s arm shot out and grabbed him, steadying him.

“Thanks. I thought I was going to land on my ass.”

The both froze when they heard a loud blast. But then Jim realized that Spock had pushed him behind him.

“What the hell? That sounded like a gun shot, but that’s not possible.”

“Why is that not possible?” Spock asked.

“No one would be out in this shooting. And what would they be shooting at?”

Spock’s lips thinned. “What indeed.”

“Must have been a backfire or something else. We’d better get home. It’s too cold out here.”

They quickened pace as best they could in the snow and reached Jim’s front door in under five minutes.

He glanced up in surprise when after he unlocked the door, Spock pushed him aside.

“Allow me to check.”

“Check? Check what?”

But Spock just entered his house and then a moment later, came back. “It is safe.”

“Of course it’s safe.” Jim pulled off his hat and scarf. “Where do you come from anyway? New York? I told you nothing ever happens here.”

Spock exhaled. “It is just best to be cautious.”

Jim bit his lip as he removed his coat. “You are running from something, aren’t you? Did you commit a crime? Is someone after you?”

“No, Jim. No one is after me.” Spock had removed his coat and gloves and hat.

“Well—”

“I just like to be careful.”

Jim stared at him. He liked Spock. He seemed really nice and not all dangerous. But he did have Mike’s and Charlie’s warnings in his head.

He glanced toward the kitchen.

“Some tea then?”

“Yes, I would like some.”

Jim moved off into the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove. So far he’d had good feelings about Spock and generally his feelings were spot on. But he could not deny some doubts were creeping in. Perhaps he should keep his rifle close by his bed.

“You got a wife, Spock?” he asked, to end the weird silence between them. “Someone special?”

“I do not have a wife. I had a long term relationship at one time, but that ended some months ago.”

“That’s too bad. She break your heart?”

“No. It was a mutual decision between us. And you, Jim? Have you got someone special?”

Jim smiled and shook his head. “Nah. I had a girl before Korea. We broke up when I went off to the conflict. She moved to Chicago. Heard later she married a doctor there. We were sweethearts in high school.”

“And no one since?”

Jim shrugged. “I fooled around some in Korea. Most everyone did. Nothing serious though. There are a couple of girls around here I’ve gone to dinner with a time or two. Nothing serious.”

The tea kettle whistled.

“I’ll have your tea ready in just a minute.”

“Thank you, Jim.”

Thirty minutes later they both headed off to bed. Jim moved his loaded rifle from his closet to beside his bed.

Just in case.


	5. Chapter 5

In the light of the day, Spock seemed less like a threat to Jim. Not that he’d ever really considered the strange man a threat. He just didn’t. And Jim generally had good sense when it came to people.

And the next night when Spock waited outside to walk him home, Jim didn’t even really think about it. The storm that plagued the town the night before had ended, though it was still bitterly cold.

During the short walk to Jim’s home, he found the silence between them companionable. This time there were no shots fired, car backfires, or anything out of the ordinary. Nor did Spock push Jim out of the way to inspect the house after Jim unlocked the door.

The lack of any weirdness cheered Jim as he closed and locked the door after them. The house was warm and welcoming, so he took off all his outerwear and made his way into the kitchen.

“Tonight I think is a hot chocolate night,” Jim announced as he went into the cabinet to get out cocoa and sugar. He took out a pot from the cabinet next to the stove and took out milk from the fridge.

Spock watched him from the edge of the kitchen. “I am not certain I should indulge in hot chocolate, Jim.”

“Everyone should indulge once in a while. And I make mine really good. You should try it, yeah?”

“A little then.”

Jim laughed. “You’re enthusiasm is overwhelming, Spock. But you’ll sing a different tune after you taste it.”

“I do not usually indulge in singing.”

He shook his head. “You’re a strange one, no doubt. How’d it go at Larry’s? You doing okay there?”

“The work is acceptable and not difficult,” Spock replied. “But I have wondered if you might have work available at MJ’s Saloon?”

Jim frowned as he stirred in the cocoa to the warming milk. “You want to work at the bar?”

“Having a similar schedule to yours seems easier to me.”

“Oh.” Jim nodded. “Right now you’re having to get up early and stay up late because you think I need a guard.”

“Jim—”

“No, I know. I guess it’s just, I don’t know, a quirk? Or maybe because I saved you from freezing to death in the snow. Whatever. But you have something there. I’ll talk to Mike about it tomorrow. Hopefully Larry won’t be too mad that I stole you away from the diner.”

Jim went to another cabinet and removed two mugs. “Sit down at the table there, Spock. This will help you sleep for sure.”

Spock moved over to the dining room table and sat on one of the chairs. He still wore the woolen cap that covered his ears.

Jim brought over two mugs of steaming hot chocolate and sat in the chair beside Spock. “You don’t have to feel self-conscious around me. You really can take off your hat.”

Spock reluctantly reached up and removed it setting it on the table. “I am used to covering them.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you get a lot of stares from ignorant people,” Jim replied. “A lot of people have trouble with those who are different than them, no matter what those differences might be.”

“And you do not?”

Jim shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m sure I have my fallacies about it like anyone else. I just work harder to get past them then some do.” He picked up his cup of chocolate and took a sip. “Try it.”

There was a strange coloring to Spock’s cheeks as he lifted the mug to his lips. Jim couldn’t quite place it. Not pink or red. But then, he couldn’t figure out why he’d be blushing over hot chocolate, so he supposed the coloring was nothing.

“It is quite good,” Spock said, immediately setting the mug back down on the table.

Jim shook his head. “You didn’t take much of a sip. Don’t like it?”

“I have a bit of a reaction to chocolate you would find…alarming.”

He frowned. “You’re allergic? Why didn’t you tell me?” Jim reached over and took the mug away from Spock. “Geez, are you that shy you can’t tell me about that?”

“No, I…it is not an allergy, exactly,” Spock said. “In truth, my reaction is rather like being intoxicated.”

He burst out laughing. “From chocolate?” Now the weird coloring reached Spock’s ears. “Are you okay? You look a little green. Are you feeling nauseous?”

“No. May I try more of the hot chocolate?”

“You sure you want to?”

“Indeed. Perhaps the chocolate here will not affect me the same way.”

“Suit yourself, yeah?” Jim slid the mug back toward Spock and then took a drink of his own. After a few minutes of silence, during which he watched Spock take a few more sips of the hot beverage, seemingly without consequences, Jim said, “You know, you can tell me if you _are_ in trouble or something. Or even if you just pulled up roots to start some place new. I get that. I’ve thought of it myself.”

“Where would you go, Jim?”

“I don’t know. Middle of the country, maybe. It’s cold here, yeah? Colder all the time. And yeah, it gets cold there, too, but I don’t think quite as bad as here. And other than my sister in Boston, I’ve got no family around here. I’d have to buy Mike out of the bar. It’s just something I’ve thought about. No real plans or anything.”

“I would like to get back to where I am from,” Spock said softly.

“Yeah? What’s there that you want to get back to?”

“You…would not understand.”

Jim smiled. “You could try me.”

Spock exhaled and took another sip. “There is someone I care a great deal for and I wish to make a life with very much.”

“What’s preventing you?”

“Right now it is impossible. There are circumstances at play I never expected to face. Currently this person is quite unobtainable.”

“I find it hard to believe whoever she is, that she could resist you for long,” Jim mused. “And it’s not your former girlfriend?”

“No. She is my friend only.” Spock took another sip. “It is not…a she.”

Jim blinked rapidly for several moments. Suddenly his stomach twittered. “Oh.” He felt his own cheeks heat and he looked away. “Oh.”

“I told you that you would not understand,” Spock said softly.

“No,” Jim said quickly, his gaze returning to Spock’s face. “No. You like who you like. Believe me, I do understand.”

“Indeed?”

Jim smiled a little. “There have been times I…no. This isn’t about me. But trust me, I do understand.” He finished off his hot chocolate and rose to put the cup into the sink. “But others around here? They wouldn’t at all. So don’t tell _anyone_ else, Spock. Okay?”

When Jim turned around from the sink, it was to see that Spock was staring at him very intently which gave Jim that strange fluttery feeling again.

“I will not.”

“You’re not feeling intoxicated or anything are you?”

“My head is a little…distant.”

“Need me to help you to your bedroom?” Jim offered.

“No, that is not necessary.” Spock stood up and then swayed.

“Um, maybe you’d better take my help.” Jim stepped over to him and put his arm around Spock’s waist. That fluttery feeling wouldn’t go away and his heart was pounding.

This was all crazy. Just because Spock admitted he was, apparently, sexually attracted to men, that meant nothing for Jim. Jim liked women. He did. And if he also, maybe liked men, but pretended not to, well…

“Come on,” Jim said, pushing aside these unhelpful thoughts. “I’ll help you.”

He walked with Spock from the kitchen, down the short hallway, his arm wrapped around him the entire way. Spock was heavy, more than Jim expected, but not unmanageable.        

“Okay, here we are,” Jim said, somewhat breathlessly. He moistened his lips. “Need help getting into bed?”

Spock leaned against the doorframe. “Negative. I believe I am capable of taking it from here.”

Jim nodded. “How’s your head?”

“Still unclear. I believe you would prefer the term fuzzy.”

“Never knew anyone to have such a weird reaction to chocolate. Okay, Spock. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Jim.”

Jim released Spock and stepped back, waiting for Spock to enter his room and then close his door before he made his way back to the kitchen to turn off the light. Then he went down the short hall again to his own room, switching off the hall light as he did so.

As he undressed for bed, Jim was determined he would not touch himself. But God, he wanted to. It was all he could think about. He crawled under the covers and gritted his teeth against the desire for release.

But as he lay there unable to sleep, he gave in, and lowered his hand into his pajama bottoms to close around his already half-hard shaft. And as he stroked himself to orgasm, his mind was on a strange, dark-haired man with pointed ears and green-tinted skin.


	6. Chapter 6

Jim woke to the smell of eggs and potatoes cooking. And even…bacon.

Bacon?

He sat up, rubbing his eyes.

He didn’t remember having bacon in the house. He assumed Spock was up and fixing breakfast, but where did he get bacon? And didn’t he tell Jim he didn’t eat meat?

He rose from the bed and headed into the bathroom to pee, then after washing his hands in the basin, he headed out to the kitchen still in nothing but his pajama bottoms.

“Good morning,” Jim called, even though it was clear from the way Spock’s shoulders had stiffened that he was aware of Jim’s arrival in the kitchen.

Spock turned toward him. “Good morning.”

And there was that weird coloring Spock got and it was then that it occurred to Jim that maybe he should have put a shirt on our something because Spock was rather pointedly staring at his bare chest.

He glanced toward the windows for some reason, he supposed afraid that those in town would be looking in and notice the weirdness between him and Spock and judge them for it. But of course the windows were covered by curtains and no people from town were peering in, regardless.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest but he didn’t move to put on a shirt. “That smells great. I swear I smell bacon.”

“You do,” Spock said, not even trying to avert his eyes, Jim noticed. He was openly staring at Jim. “Larry had a surplus and indicated I could bring some home for you.”

‘Yeah? That’s fantastic. I’m surprised you are willing to cook it. Does the smell bother you?”

“It does not and I am pleased to do it for you since you are so kind to me.” Spock pointed to the percolator. “I have started coffee for you as well.”

“Wow. You really didn’t have to do all this, Spock. But thank you.”

Jim went over to the cabinet and reached up to get a cup. He felt Spock’s gaze on him and glanced over just in time to see Spock look away from his…ass.

And Jim really shouldn’t find that alluring. Really. Because that kind of thing could get you a real fast ticket to a bad beating. Or worse. And even if Jim was super all right with it in private, Spock needed not to do that in front of anyone in town, at the bar or anywhere, really.

He set the cup on the counter and turned toward Spock.

“Listen, you and I need to talk about something.”

“Very well.”

“You, uh, you like men and—”

“I apologize if that makes you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t. Well, not for the reason you think anyway. But the thing is, you, ah, you have trouble keeping a certain look off your face when you’re looking at me and—”

“What look?” 

“Like you want to attack me.”

Spock frowned slightly. “I assure you, Jim, I do not intend any violence toward you.”

Jim smiled. “No, I don’t think that. I mean, er, sexually. Which is totally fine,” he added hastily, lest he offend Spock. “Just, I can’t stress enough that the people here won’t accept that. At all.”

“I am aware of the backward opinions of this time,” Spock replied cryptically.

“Good. Because, honestly, I don’t want either of us to end up a victim because of something someone sees or imagines. You have to be careful with that, Spock. Please.”

“I understand.” Spock paused. “What reason does it make you uncomfortable?”

“What?”

“You said,” Spock replied with exaggerated patience. “That it made you uncomfortable for a reason other than what I think.”

“Oh.” And now Jim found himself blushing. “I, uh.” He rubbed the back of his neck, which felt really hot. “I find you, um, rather attractive. Is all.”

Spock merely stared at him. “You are not heterosexual?”

Jim cleared his throat. “Not entirely. No. Obviously. I like women.”

“And men?”

Jim nodded, glancing away. Then back at Spock. “But _no one_ can know that. This isn’t New York, you know. And even there, you can’t be open or anything.”

“Yes,” Spock agreed. “Have you—”

Jim’s eyes widened. “No. Never. Who would I with? Someone from here?” He laughed. “No. Some stranger in Boston? No.”

His gaze went to Spock’s lips and then back to his eyes. They were the most intensely beautiful chocolate brown.

“The-the food is burning,” Jim said softly.

Spock didn’t turn around but he did reach over and shut off the burners on the stove.

“How about you?” Jim whispered. “That-that guy you like?”

“Negative. There was not the opportunity. And now…as I said, he is unobtainable.”

Jim was pretty sure the direction of his thoughts was a terrible thing.

Terrible.

“Spock.”

“Jim.”

He took a step closer to Spock. The air seemed thick with tension.

_Sexual tension._

Hell _._

“Is-is the front door locked?” He heard himself ask.

“Yes, Jim. The back door as well.”

And all the curtains were drawn over the windows, as Jim already knew.

This time it was Spock who moved closer. So close Jim could feel him breathing. Body to body.

Jim moistened his lips. “Are we—?”

That was all he was able to get out, for suddenly Spock’s lips were on his. _Kissing_ him. No _devouring_. It shook Jim to his very soul. He reached up to—push Spock away or pull him closer—Jim wasn’t sure. But then Spock’s tongue slipped into his mouth and all Jim could do was moan.

He lifted his hand to Spock’s shoulder and then moved to place it at the back of Spock’s neck, opening his mouth to allow Spock better access to every inch of him.  

One thing was for sure, this guy knew how to _kiss_.  

Jim was unprepared for the hand that moved between their bodies and he let out a little yelp that was swallowed by Spock when Spock’s hand closed over his pajama clad erection. He felt the hesitation in Spock and without breaking off contact of their lips, Jim managed to nod.

With amazing speed, Spock yanked down Jim’s pajama pants and there was barely a moment of cool air on his shaft when he was gripped in Spock’s heated fist. Shock coursed through him and he trembled at the contact. Sure, he had jerked off enough but no man had ever touched him there, such intimacy threatened to short out his brain.

Then a moment later, Spock shifted slightly, he heard the sound of a zipper, and then his hard cock was held next to Spock’s, hard steel, covered in soft flesh rubbed against him, and Jim gasped into Spock’s open mouth, keening at the sensation of being rubbed along Spock.

With the hand not holding onto Spock’s neck, Jim grabbed at Spock’s shoulder, for purchase, for life. Whatever. Every part of his body burned, fire and lust soaring through him.

Nothing. Nothing had ever been like this.

He both heard and felt the vibration of Spock’s groan and it drew an answering one from him.

“Spock,” the name fell from his lips.

Spock’s grip on their erections sped up, closed tighter, and Jim finally wrenched his mouth free, panting, throwing his head back on a cry as his orgasm tore through him with shattering force. The slickness of his cum added to the slide of Spock’s cock and very soon the other man was joining Jim, shooting spunk all over Jim’s kitchen floor.

And he couldn’t have cared less.

Spock’s hand dropped from them, but he still held onto Jim, which was good because he felt as though he might collapse otherwise. His knees were weak and he’d never known what that meant before, but he knew now.

Jim knew a lot of things.

He gazed hazily into Spock’s eyes, and saw the same dazed look gazing back at him.

“That was…”

“Yes.”

And instead of saying anything else, Jim drew Spock’s head down and kissed him again.


	7. Chapter 7

Spock looked up at the sky. At the moment it was clear overhead but the clouds were already coming over the horizon. And it already promised to be a bitterly cold day. Spock suspected it would snow. Again.

He was unsure how those humans that lived here did it day after day. Spock, personally, would give anything to be back on the Enterprise flirting with Jim. James Tiberius Kirk. If he didn’t prevent the murder of this Jim, his captain would never be. And Spock thought that likely meant none of them would be, really. Without Jim to stop Nero, then…

Spock did not want to think on it. But he’d had to.

And now? What was he to do about the Jim from this time? He was so much like his Jim it was a little frightening. And yet, of course, he was not his captain. He’d not got this far with his captain. He’d wanted to but he’d spent so much time avoiding everything.

Which was no doubt why he was vulnerable to exploring with the Jim from now. At the end of it all, Jim must be with Sadie so that the Kirk line could continue. And Spock must return to the Enterprise.

The door of the house opened behind him but Spock did not turn around.

“You’re going to freeze out here, yeah?”

“That would be unfortunate,” Spock said with some amusement. He turned around to face Jim, whose cheeks were rad. He wore only a flannel shirt and jeans, no coat. “You had better go back inside.”

“Only if you do.”

He inclined his head and stepped forward and into the house. Jim came in behind him and closed and locked the front door.

“School’s closed today for the storm that’s coming,” Jim declared. “Businesses too. Mike went down to the saloon to put up a sign we won’t open today. I doubt many will venture out anyway. He told me Larry’s got the diner closed today too so we’ll have you quit later.” He hesitated. “If you still want to work at the bar.”

Spock realized that Jim had avoided looking right at him. “Yes, that is still my preference. Jim—”

“Spock—”

Jim laughed then. It was very musical. He ran his fingers through his hair. Spock noticed it was damp so he suspected Jim had showered after their activities. They never did eat breakfast. It sat there cold on the stove.

“Look, I’m very sorry I made things awkward between us.”

Spock shook his head. “You did not.”

“Yeah, well. Not so sure. I mean I know you said there’s someone you-you’re interested in. I shouldn’t have—”

“Jim,” Spock said gently. “You did nothing wrong. Neither of us did. I am not currently with that person and I am uncertain whether I ever will be, that remains to be seen in the future, but our…activities from this morning were mutually agreed upon between the two of us. No one but us knows about them or ever will. We are in the privacy of your home. There is no need for shame or regret.”

“Yeah?”

“No one should make you feel bad for expressing certain desire. And that includes yourself. At present neither of us is in a committed relationship. We are free to act as we wish. Privately, of course.”

“Of course,” Jim murmured.

Spock wondered to himself if he was trying to convince Jim or himself here. He did have to be careful. He did not want to turn Jim away from his future wife, Sadie. But on the other hand, Jim meeting Sadie was still at least a few years away. Spock was here, alone, with an uncertain future, and Jim was beautiful and eager to try new things. Spock had to be certain not to jeopardize his captain and the future he knew with the Enterprise. But he did not believe he was in danger of doing so. He knew what his main focus must be.

With bad weather, however, there was little he could do other than spend the day in Jim’s company. This was good, because he would also be able to protect Jim.

What Spock needed to do also was to protect his own heart. He knew he was in love with his captain. But he was also falling for this Jim. The man in front of him made it very easy.

“You’ve gone really quiet,” Jim said.

“I apologize. I was contemplating things.”

Jim smiled. “You do that a lot, I think.”

He bad somehow moved closer to Spock without Spock even realizing it. He was right in front of him, so close that Spock could smell the soft scent of the soap Jim had used.

“Ivory.”

“I am sorry?”

Jim’s smile widened. “You mentioned the soap I used in the shower. It’s Ivory.”

He looked down into those dark blue eyes. “You must be hungry.”

“Not as much as I was,” Jim said. He put his hands on Spock’s chest and even though Spock still wore a coat, he could feel the burning warmth of Jim’s hands on him.

Spock swallowed. “Jim.”

“You said we were doing nothing wrong.”

“Yes. I—”

Jim shrugged a little “I was just thinking. We could go to my room and maybe…try a few other things.”

“Well.” Spock cleared his throat. “Yes. But I think that we should, perhaps, eat first. Since we are shut in, there is plenty of time for, uh, experimentation.”

For a moment Jim stared at him. “You said you hadn’t with that guy you like, but does that mean no other?”

Spock nodded. “I have been with only a female sexually. I was in a long term committed relationship with her so there was no opportunity.”

“Wow.” Jim nodded. Licked his lips just like Spock’s captain. “Okay. Maybe-maybe we should…oh the hell with it.”

He lurched forward and grabbed Spock’s face in his hands, kissing him deeply, his tongue shoving into Spock’s mouth without any finesse and Spock didn’t care. Instead, he kissed back, allowing his passion to burst forth. He might never get his captain. Spock was not sure. But this Jim…he was here now, touching him, kissing him.

Jim pulled off Spock’s coat and scarf and let them drop to the floor of the living room. Then he yanked off Spock’s woolen cap.

“Bedroom,” he gasped against Spock’s mouth.

Spock picked Jim up, the smaller man was easy to hold onto with his superior strength, and Jim was eager to hold on, continuing to feast on Spock’s lips.

He tossed Jim on the bed and began to remove his clothes.

The lights went out.

Spock froze.

“It’s the storm,” Jim whispered. “It’s coming.”

It could be, absolutely. But Spock had to be sure. He could take no chances with the Marconians. They might use the storm to get to Jim.

Spock put his fingers on Jim’s lips. “Stay here.”

“Spock—”

“I will be only a moment,” Spock assured him. “Call me extra…cautious.”

Spock rose from the bed and went hunting.


	8. Chapter 8

Jim had enough time while Spock wandered through his house looking for…what—he didn’t even know—to wonder if this was a mistake after all.

He didn’t know what he was doing. He knew what he wanted, yes. He was attracted to men. And to Spock in particular. But honestly, he’d never intended to act on that. If anyone ever found out—

And yet, this was probably his only chance to ever experience this. Spock would leave eventually. Jim wasn’t stupid. He wasn’t here forever. Jim didn’t even want him to be, because they could never have a relationship. When Spock left, anything like this would be over and done with. Jim promised that much to himself.

Besides, he really did like women.

Right now, he liked Spock. And if he could…shouldn’t he?

Then it occurred to Jim that if there really was someone there in his house, which yeah, he doubted there was, he should have his shotgun ready. He scrambled out of bed and grabbed it. He just had to be sure he didn’t accidentally fire it at Spock. Jim was pretty well skilled with it, though, so he didn’t feel he was in danger of doing so.

He heard the roar of the wind from outside. It certainly sounded bad enough to knock the power out.

“Jim?”

“Yeah, Spock.”

Spock appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, shadowy, but he could make out that it was Spock.

“There is nothing or no one.”

“Good.” Jim returned his shotgun to its safe place, and then turned back to face Spock. “Where were we?”

Spock stepped back into the room. Moved toward the bed and Jim.

“Do you…have anything that can be used for…preparing you for sexual intercourse?”

Jim blinked. His chest seized a little. Just the idea of…yeah. He could do this. Wanted to. But, well, what could?

“I have, um, petroleum jelly.”

“Together with my…that should do.”

Spock came to him then and framed his face with his hands. “If you are uncertain—”

“No. I’m not. I mean, a little, nervous, yes. Can I just say, Spock, I know this-this isn’t forever, okay? You have your life, whatever that is, and that other guy you want to be with, and I have my life here, in this town now, maybe somewhere else someday, and probably with a family. I know that. You could be gone tomorrow, and I have to accept that. So, if this is all we have, today, then I’m good with that.”

“As am I,” Spock whispered. He leaned in and captured Jim’s lips with his.

Before Spock, Jim hadn’t been kissed by a man, obviously, and even with women, he hadn’t done all that much, but he found that he liked it. A lot. He opened his mouth to allow Spock’s tongue to slide inside, licking the inside, tongues fencing each other.

He clutched at Spock’s shoulders as Spock once more lowered him to the bed. Prior to the power going out, Spock had undone the fastenings of his pants, so it was only a matter of pulling them down off his body now. He lifted up enough so that the tight material could be yanked off his ass.

God, it was weird having someone else undress him. Good weird, though.

Somehow the power being off seemed to be a good thing because Jim didn’t have to feel even slightly embarrassed at being naked with Spock. His pants and underwear gone, Spock then removed his shirt, and Jim lay on his bed in the mostly dark room, nude, and achingly hard. He licked his lips.

“Now you.”

“One moment,” Spock answered.

“Spock—”

“I wish to get the petroleum jelly you spoke of.”

“Oh.” Jim laughed. “Um, bathroom. You want me to—”

“No, I will get it.”

Jim swallowed heavily, heart beating fast in anticipation as Spock disappeared from the room. Even though he had never done this, Jim had figured out what the process was.

When Spock returned, he wasted no time in undressing and returning to the bed. He held the container of petroleum jelly in his hand as he lay next to Jim, looming over him to kiss him once again.

Spock drew back. “You are shaking.”

“I just…I really want this. You.”

Fingertips grazed his jaw. “I desire you also, Jim.”

“What-what’s the name of the-the one you love?” He wasn’t even sure why he wanted to know, and now of all times, but he did.

Spock whispered, after a slight hesitation, “Tiberius.”

It was an odd name and he should probably laugh at it really, but somehow, he couldn’t, didn’t. Instead, he pulled Spock down for another kiss.

He moaned when Spock’s long, elegant hands slid down his bare skin, skimming over his nipples, teasing then and then going lower, lower, until one hand curled into a fist over Jim’s hardness.

“Spock,” Jim gasped, his cock jumping Spock’s grip.

“Shh.” A whisper against his lips, and Jim trembled.

Spock gently turned him over then until he lay on his stomach. Then he heard the sound of the jar opening. He spread his legs open. And then felt the cold jelliness of the petroleum as a finger was gently inserted into him.

“All right?”

Jim nodded. It didn’t hurt exactly, just a little strange.

The finger moved in deeper and Jim forced himself to relax. He opened his legs more, tilting his pelvis. The feel of the bed against his around cock had him moaning. He slipped a hand between himself and the mattress, curling his fingers around the head.

A second finger joined the first and Jim bit his lip. He felt a little burn and like he was stuffed full. An odd sensation.

When a third finger entered, he wasn’t sure he could take much more. It was pressure, it was sting. He breathed out.

“All right?” Spock asked again.

He nodded, turning his face into the pillow.

Very slowly Spock withdrew his fingers and then position himself right behind Jim. He felt the hardness of Spock’s cock right at his hole. This was it.

Spock seemed more slippery and slicked up then Jim would have expected from the jelly, and as he pushed in, he went in pretty easily, without much pain or discomfort.

Jim breathed a sigh of relief. He could do this.

Spock wiggled behind him and then pushed in deeper, and Jim gasped out as Spock brushed against his prostate.

“Jim?” Spock stopped, paused.

“No. I mean, good, good. More.”

Spock moved, sliding in and out of him, deep, shallow, deeper, more shallow. Jim dug his one hand into the sheets of the bed and the other worked on his own cock, gripping, pulling, stroking.

“Oh, God, oh God,” he moaned. For damn, it felt so good, so damn good.

Above him, Spock was panting as he thrust in and out of Jim, his hands gripping Jim’s sides as he rammed him. The bed rocked with the force of their coupling.

Then stars exploded behind his eyes as he felt his whole body shake, his heart shatter, his nerves scattered, as he came and came against the bed, his fingers.

“Jim,” Spock groaned out, his voice shaky and breaking as he thrust deep, once, twice, three times, and then coming, filling Jim’s ass with his cum.

He felt Spock’s weight as the other man collapsed on him. It was a comfort though, it felt good, as though he was protected.

“Spock, I…that was…I don’t even know.”

“Yes,” Spock said. He kissed the back of Jim’s head. “Yes.”

“Whatever happens, I’ll never forget this. You.”

A long pause. “Nor will I forget you. It is not possible.”

Jim smiled, closing his eyes. He’d get up in a minute. Clean up. Deal with, whatever. But for now, he just wanted to pretend that this could last.  


	9. Chapter 9

Spock believed in the Prime Directive. It was both logical, and in his opinion, morally correct. He’d had numerous arguments with his captain about the Directive, though Spock knew, deep down, Jim agreed with it…mostly. He’d had arguments with Nyota about it as well, and certainly more with McCoy than anyone.

And yet here he was, quite clearly, acting in a manner which threw caution and the Prime Directive to the wind.

Beside him, _this_ Jim Kirk lay sleeping. And Spock’s heart ached. _This_ was not his captain, not the human he loved more than any being in the world. And yet, he cared a great deal for this one even still, and, Spock would have to admit, he loved this Jim.

He’d come to this time in Earth’s history to save the human he loved above all, but he had never expected to fall for that human’s ancestor, too. And though Spock would leave when the danger had passed and he could ensure that Jim, the one who was his and not his, not yet, was safe from the Marconians, the Jim here, that lay next to him still sweat soaked and smelling of sexual activity would linger in his memory for years to come.  

Nevertheless, despite his feelings and this new experience, he would stay focused on the task of saving this Jim so that ultimately his captain would be saved. At that point, Spock would do everything he could to ensure that Jim knew exactly how he felt and what he hoped to begin between the two of them. And he would tell Jim everything. Including his intimacy here.

The Jim here opened his eyes, revealing the dark dark blue that wasn’t quite the same blue as his captain’s. He smiled.

“Sorry, must have fell sleep.”

“I believe that is common after such activities, there is no need for apologies.”

“You definitely speak differently than anyone I have ever known. That would give you away as someone from not around here if nothing else does.” Jim’s smile widened. “But pretty much everything does.”

Spock stiffened a little, though he tried not to feel particularly affronted. It was true he was not from there, but it was also true he’d spent so many years being told he didn’t belong. It was not logical to blame Jim for that. He had been nothing but kind and accepting of Spock since he had arrived. More than, Spock suspected, anyone else would have been.

“Are you all right?” Jim asked, smile slipping away to be replaced by a frown of uncertainty. “Have I made you regret what we did?”

“No, you have not.”

“But do you?” He sighed and turned onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “I understand if you do. Is it the physical act or the fact you’re in love with someone you can’t have and you feel guilty?”

“Jim, I do not regret our activities.”

He glanced at Spock. “No?”

“No.” Spock hesitated. “Where I come from, such an act is not illegal or forbidden and is commonplace.”

“Even though you yourself have never done it, not that way anyway.”

“Correct. The opportunity did not arise, but I am not repelled in any way by it.”

“Okay.”

“I am currently not attached to anyone, therefore, I do not need to feel guilty. Nor do I.”

“That must be an interesting place you’re from. Did you say it was New York?” Jim shook his head. “No. You didn’t. I think I did. You’ve never really said. And anyway, what we did is illegal everywhere in this country.”

“I acknowledge that and I am not from this country,” Spock replied.

“But you aren’t going to say, right?”

“It is best not to at this time.” Spock eyed him, took in the tension. “I do not intend to make you angry.”

Jim laughed then. “I’m not angry, Spock. Maybe disappointed. But no, not angry.  I can hardly blame you for secrets, given I have some of my own.” He shivered a little.

“You are growing cold.”

“It’s freezing in here.” Jim sat up. “The heater is gas, so I can go see if I can get it to turn on.”

“I will go.”

“I’m not actually helpless or anything. I even have a shotgun,” Jim said in a teasing voice.

“It is best you stay covered.” Spock rose from the bed and went to the window to look out. “The snow is still falling heavily.”

“Guess that means we don’t have anywhere we have to be for a while still.” Jim wiggled on the bed until he got to the bedside table. He dug into the drawer and then tossed something at Spock. “Use a flashlight this time. It’s gotten darker. Don’t want you tripping over something. And hurry back so we can keep each other warm.”

Spock found the switch and turned it on and then tromped out of the living room looking for the heater. The house was frigidly cold, but Spock patrolled the entire place again just to be sure. There was nothing and no one. He found the heater eventually, a floor one, and turned the knob. It would take a long time for the heater to heat them in the bedroom, but in the meantime, as Jim had said, they could use body heat for that purpose.

Jim pulled the covers aside for Spock when he returned to the bedroom and it gave Spock pause, a moment where he wanted that so badly with his Jim, his captain… that he could barely breathe from the pain of not having it. And as much as he adored this Jim, and Spock did, there was no true comparison. He had known his captain for years and had loved him almost as long.

When he heard the little hitch of doubt in Jim’s breath, though, Spock eased into the bed beside him, drew the covers up over them, and pulled him close.

Jim’s cold fingers brushed Spock’s jaw and he kissed Spock, warm, soft and sweet. It heated him in ways the outdated gas heater could not come close to, and for the time they had, which would be all too brief, Spock intended to make it wonderful.


	10. Chapter 10

Jim really was not an idiot, perhaps despite some opinions of his fellow citizens of the town, notwithstanding. Spock was not an ordinary, run of the mill sort of man. He had deep, dark secrets that Jim was not privy to and Jim suspected they were something of a sinister nature. 

Maybe that idea and Spock himself should frighten him, but whatever Spock’s secrets and motives, Jim felt no threat from him. In fact, quite the opposite. He couldn’t shake the sense Spock had some sort of determination to protect him. From what? Jim didn’t know. But something told him it was more than from the ire and hatred of the town citizens if they found out Jim was involved with a man.

They’d spent much of the day of the blizzard getting to know each other’s bodies, what felt particularly good to each of them, what was just okay. It was one of the best days of his life, really. But eventually Jim realized he was a little over sensitive and quite sore in spots and also pretty damn hungry. They needed a break from intimate activities and so while Jim dozed a bit, Spock had gone to take a shower.

Later, after Spock had finished, Jim went into the shower to wash off the scent of sex and let hot, steamy water help with his sore muscles. Before he’d gotten into the shower, Jim had checked the phone, and it was out, probably from the blizzard. His phone service went out pretty regularly anyway. The power was back on, thankfully, but a peek out the window indicated it was still snowing quite vigorously. His front lawn and walk area were piles of snow. He’d have to deal with that when the snow stopped, but for now he doubted he and Spock would need to go anywhere anytime soon.

He dressed in blue jeans and his favorite flannel shirt and made his way out to the kitchen. He’d heard Spock fussing around in there when he’d first gotten out of the shower. 

Sure enough, Spock stood at one of the kitchen counters cutting up assorted vegetables Jim had forgotten he even had in the house. That was another odd thing about Spock. Jim had never known anyone who wouldn’t eat meat.

“I would have fixed us something.”

“I was out of the shower first.”

“What are you making?” Jim asked, peering over Spock’s shoulder.

“I…vegetables.”

“Into what?”

“Vegetables.”

Jim smiled. “Okay. I’ll see what else I have.”

He walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door. He was in the mood for something hearty, not just a bunch of grilled vegetables.

Just then a huge gust of wind rocked the whole house and he heard Spock gasp in surprise as he spun around.

“Oh. Hey, it’s just the wind, Spock, nothing to worry about.” Jim closed the door of the fridge and walked over to Spock. “Are you okay?”

Spock straightened. “Yes. I…apologize. All these…house noises have me on alert.”

Jim nodded. “Old houses make noises for sure. This house was built in the early 1900s. Built by William and Allison Kirk.”

“Your ancestors?”

He smiled. “Grandparents.” He glanced down then and noticed a cut across Spock’s finger. “Oh, shit. You cut yourself.”

Spock looked down and suddenly moved his hand away.

“Let me see that!” Jim chased after his hand, grabbing on to it. “How bad is it?”

“Jim—”

Jim stared at the cut, at the blood, the-the _green_ blood. But that was not-that was not—

His gaze flew to Spock’s. Spock stared at him, eyes wide.

“You…what is…”

“I can explain.”

“Yeah? Because I’ve never seen green blood in humans before.”

Spock visibly swallowed. “Yes.”

Jim frowned. “Yes? Is it some condition?”

When Spock did not immediately answer, Jim dropped his hand and took a step back.

“We’d better get that bandaged. Come to the bathroom with me. I have bandages there.”

He was aware that Spock followed after him, but Jim was in a bit of a daze, his mind filled with a million possibilities and none of them making any sense at all.

Opening the medicine cabinet, Jim reached for and received hold of Spock’s injured hand once more, trying not to stare at the green coagulating blood oozing from the cut.

“It is not very serious,” Spock murmured. “A mere slip of the knife.”

Jim nodded, washing the cut and then adding an antiseptic ointment before wrapping the bandage over the wounded finger.

“There is no need to be frightened, Jim.”

His gaze flying to Spock’s once more, Jim denied, “I’m not.”

“I do not have a condition.”

“No?”

“You said that you had not seen a human with green blood.”

“Right.”

Spock released a slow breath as he held Jim’s gaze. “I am not.”

“Not what?”

“Human.”

Jim was still holding Spock’s hand and he did not release him this time. But the thing was, Spock’s hand was warm and soft, similar to his own, perhaps less used to work than Jim’s but still very similar, except for the green stuff.

“Then what are you?” he asked, softly, carefully.

“I am Vulcan.”

“Vulcan,” he repeated.

“Half,” Spock told him. “The other half…my mother was human.”

“And your father was…Vulcan.”

“I would never harm you, Jim.”

He smiled a little, though he didn’t even know why. All of this, whatever it was, it seemed vaguely crazy. Okay, more than vaguely. Had he hit his head? Had Spock drugged him with something? Was he hallucinating? But no, it did not feel that way. His mind, though fractured a little, seemed pretty clear.

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“I am gratified.”

Dark eyes pierced into him, made him catch his breath, but in fear? No. Something far darker and more perverse.

Jim put his fingertips on Spock’s jaw. “Where is a Vulcan from?”

“Space.”

Jim’s brows furrowed. “Space?”

“It is…complicated,” Spock said, hoarsely.

“So, you’re an…alien?”

“Yes.”

“An alien from outer space?”

“You do not seem particularly surprised.”

“Oh, I am. Completely.”

Spock arched a single brow. “You hide it well.”

“I think I’m in shock,” Jim admitted. He stroked his thumb across Spock’s bottom lip and both of them shivered. “I mean I’ve been…you’ve been…”

“Yes.”

“Why are you here, alien from outer space?”

“To save you.”

Jim kissed him. Gazed at him. “Save me?”

“There are those who wish to kill you.”

Jim drew back but only a little. He realized that Spock’s arms held his waist. “Kill me? What?”

“They-they have done so once already,” Spock said. “I came here to reverse that.”

“I-I don’t understand,” Jim admitted.

Spock leaned his forehead against Jim’s. “I know.”

Jim’s hand slid down Spock’s chest, he could feel nothing beneath his fingers, and he began to frown, but then Spock’s hand grasped his and pulled it down to Spocks side. There. There Jim felt a beat that was very much like a heartbeat.

“Holy shit,” he breathed out, eyes going wide. “You-you really are.”

Spock nodded. “Yes.”


	11. Chapter 11

Spock watched warily as Jim became very pale. His sapphire eyes looked stark and very wide in that pale face. He had a feeling that if he was not holding on to the human, Jim would possibly faint.

“Jim.” He kept his voice as soft and gentle as he could.

“My dad believed in other beings.” Jim swallowed. “Out there. Everyone thought he was looney. Maybe I inherited more than his looks.”

“You have not taken leave of your facilities, Jim.”

“No?” He exhaled. “You’re…um…you aren’t here to infect me, I mean, I don’t know…possess me?”

“No.”

“And I’m not going to have your alien offspring, right?”

Spock stared at him. “No.”

Jim smiled faintly. “Well. I don’t really know about Vulcan technology.”

“Acknowledged.” Spock searched his face. “You are very pale.”

“This is not…I mean, I don’t find out every day that there’s—”

“Breathe, Jim.”

Jim nodded. “I’m honestly trying. But this is insane. Probably literally. And the craziest part is I’m so damn turned on right now it’s ridiculous.”

Spock blinked. “You are…you wish to engage in sexual intercourse at the moment?”

Jim laughed. A little on the verge of hysterics from what Spock could tell. “Well, when you put it like that, I guess not.”

“I do not object.”

“Yeah. I…I think maybe I need to sit down.” And even with Spock holding him up, Jim swayed a little.

Spock helped him over to the couch in the living room and slowly eased him down before sitting beside him. He wanted to reach for Jim’s hand but at present Jim gripped his own knees rather violently.

“Can you explain?” Jim asked after a moment of just breathing in and out. “About what you said earlier. Someone wanting to kill me.”

“Where I come from it is far into the future from present day.”

“Future.”

“Affirmative. Several centuries from the time you are alive, Jim.”

“You’ve definitely managed to boggle my mind, if that was your intent.”

“In all honesty, my original intent was for you to never know, however, you are as compelling as…”

“As?”

“The human I am in love with in my own time. James Tiberius…Kirk.”

“ _Kirk_? Wait. _Tiberius_?”

“A family name,” Spock replied. “Your family. My captain.”

Jim frowned. “So…in the future, where you come from, you’re in love with your captain, who is one of my descendants?”

“Yes.”

“Are you in the military?”

“Sort of. We have military rank and training, but our purpose is exploration.”

Jim just stared at him.

Spock did reach for his hand then. He tugged it off Jim’s nearest knees and touched it, palm to palm. “A hostile species from my time resents the interference of my ship.”

“A ship.”

“Yes, a starship. They blame my captain for their defeat and made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him.” Which Spock was forever grateful at their failure. “When that failed, they decided to eradicate his very existence, and after some planning on their part, they decided to kill you and with it the Kirk line. In the future, you marry a woman named Sadie and Jim, my Jim, is a direct descendent of that line of Kirks. They successfully murdered you, however, with the help of my colleagues aboard the Enterprise, we were about to have me time travel to this period so that I may stop them from killing you and interfering with the natural order of things.”

“Okay, so, if all that is true, and you save me this time, what’s to stop them from trying again and again until they get it right?”

“My colleagues are at work attempting a permanent solution to the problem of the Marconians.  It is my part in all this to protect you and keep you safe.”

“All to make sure I meet and marry this Sadie.”

“Yes. Because my captain—”

“I know. I got it.” Jim sighed. “If all this is true and I’m not batshit crazy, was, I don’t know, all this intimacy part of the plan?”

“No,” Spock said softly. “You…you resemble him. Or more accurately, he resembles you.”

“And in your time, you don’t have him, so you made do with me?”

Spock felt himself blush. “That is not entirely accurate.”

“No?” Jim pulled his hand away and buried his face in his hands. “Fuck. This is just…how am I supposed to believe any of this?”

“You saw the green blood with your own eyes, Jim,” Spock pointed out.

“When do they kill me and how?”

“Their attempt will be any time. Last time they stabbed you, making it look like a mugging.”

Jim let out a shaky breath. “You-you’re talking about me being dead. Like it’s-it’s nothing.”

“Believe me, that is far from the truth.”

“Because of your captain.”

“Not only him, Jim. I care a great deal for you.”

Jim stood up. Shook his head. “And when all of this is done? And you go back to wherever you’re from to make happy with your captain, what happens to me?”

“You will return to your normal life that you are intended to live.”

“I just forget you, all of this, everything we’ve experienced, and pretend it never happened.”

Spock hesitated. “Yes.”

For Spock, whether he wished to or not, would make sure that Jim did not remember a thing.


	12. Chapter 12

It was hard to wrap his mind around so many things. Jim wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t lost his mind.

Maybe Spock was some kind of hypnotist. Jim had heard of that kind of thing. Mind tricks. But he wasn’t sure what the purpose would be with him. He was nobody. Living in a small town on the east coast of the United States.

And yet, if all Spock said _was_ true, someone wanted him dead. Not because of anything he’d done. But to prevent some future descendent of his from ever being born. If Spock saved him this time, couldn’t they come back and try again? Or with some other future Kirk, for that matter.

“What makes you think it stops with me?” he managed to ask Spock. Jim was standing at his front living room window looking at the lessening storm. And yeah, he'd asked before. But give him a break. This was really weird. All of this. Really, he could and should probably go out and shovel his sidewalk and front entryway. The worst of the storm was finished. But he found it hard to tear himself away from this.

“As I said, when I leave, the Marconians will have been dealt with by my colleagues. I need keep you safe only until then.”

Jim didn’t look at him. “You could be leaving any time then.”

“Yes.”

“What happens?” Jim turned and looked at him. “Do they just suck you up into their spacecraft?”

“Not quite. They would communicate with me and then I would…transport to the future.”

“I see.” Jim didn’t see at all, really. But his brain was too confused and murky to try and figure any of it out. He was not at all stupid. In fact, if he could say so himself, he was probably the smartest guy of all his friends. But this was too much for his comprehension. Too advanced.

“I’m going to go out and shovel some snow.”

“I will go with you.”

Jim frowned. “You don’t have to. You should stay inside where it’s warm.”

Spock shook his head. “I do have to accompany you, Jim.”

He grimaced. “Oh. Right. Okay. Well, let’s get our coats on then.”

Jim walked over to the coat rack and yanked his coat off and then the one Spock had been using and thrust it Spock’s way.

“Jim.”

He sighed and pulled on his coat. “What, Spock?”

“You are upset with me.”

“I’m upset with all of this.” He wrapped a scarf around his neck. “This is all normal for you. It’s not at all for me.”

“I am aware.”

Jim stared at him. “No. I don’t think you are. Let’s go.”

Spock stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Jim.”

He blew out a breath. “Look, it’s fine. Just for a while I thought…I thought a guy liked me, was attracted to me, the way I was to him, for _me_. And all the while it’s because of him, not me. And I get it. I do. But it’s going to take me some time adjust my thinking. A mind adjustment. That’s all on top of _everything_ else. I’ve thought most of my life my dad believing in-in people like you was crazy.  And yet here you are.”

“Jim, I—”

He shook his head and pulled away from Spock’s hand. “Let’s just do this.”

It was damn cold outside. Bitterly. But the snow falling was light now and manageable. Jim went to his shed, opened up the lock and pulled out two snow shovels. He handed one to Spock.

“May as well make yourself useful.”

They got to work shoveling it off the front entry way first, and then moved to the path to the sidewalk. It seemed almost unreal that it was only a few days since Jim had found Spock lying in the snow. Weird place to deposit someone, Jim thought, but he supposed these aliens from the future didn’t know as much about Jim’s time as they thought they did.

They were just about finished when Jim’s friend Mike approached.

Jim waved.

“Jim,” Spock said softly.

He glanced briefly at Spock. “It’s Mike. The guy I own the bar with. He’s fine.” He turned back to greet Mike with a smile. “Hey, buddy. This has been crazy weather, yeah?”

“Oh, yeah,” Mike agreed. “I thought it would never stop. Worst Nor’easter in years.”

Spock moved closer and Jim stepped away, growing annoyed. Mike was no threat and for God’s sake, Jim wasn’t helpless.

Mike glanced around the yard. “Need help?”

“Spock and I have this. But thanks.”

Mike smiled, glancing briefly at Spock, then back to Jim. He reached a hand out to Jim’s shoulder. “Okay, pal. Well, I’ll—”

Spock pushed himself between Jim and Mike.

“Spock—”

Suddenly Mike collapsed to the ground.

“Spock! What the hell…” Jim shrank back in shock. “Is that a knife?”

Spock nodded, looking grim. “Yes. Fortunately I was able incapacitate him. But this is exactly the problem, Jim. You have no idea how they will come at you and you are not careful.”

“But Mike.” Jim crouched down next to Mike, and even as he did so, Mike began to fade away, leaving nothing where his body was. Wide-eyed, Jim looked at Spock. “What the fuck?”

“Not Mike, I suspect.”

“They-they—”

“Yes. Come inside, Jim.”

Just as they made it into the house, Jim’s phone rang. He picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

“Finally got through,” Mike said on the line. “Listen, I was thinking we can reopen the bar tomorrow afternoon. Storm should be completely over by then.”

“Mike.”

“Yeah?”

Jim shook his head, though Mike couldn’t see it. “Nothing. You okay?”

“Yeah, weathered the storm fine. So. The bar?”

Spock had come up behind Jim then and was gently massaging Jim’s shoulders.

“Uh. Sure. Okay. Sounds good.”

“You all right, Jimmy? You sound kind of weird.”

“Just winded from shoveling the snow.”

Mike chuckled. “Gotta do that myself. See you tomorrow then?”

“Sure. Bye.” Jim hung up the phone and turned around to throw himself against Spock. He was relieved when Spock’s arms came around him and held him close.

“I am here, Jim. It is all right. You are safe,” Spock said in a soothing steady voice.

He nodded, gulping in air. “I guess part of me didn’t believe it. And-and that they’d go to such lengths.” He pulled back and looked at Spock’s face. “How powerful are they?”

“Compared to what you know? Very.”

“How can I trust _anyone_?”

“You cannot, Jim. You must stay close to me.”

“Can I even trust you?”

Spock put his hand on Jim’s face then, his fingers spreading out over Jim’s cheek. “I would say yes, but on the other hand, I wish you to  exercise extreme caution.”

"To save your captain.”

“To save you.”

“Because you love him.”

“And you.”

Jim shook his head. “You really shouldn’t say things like that, Spock. It’s not nice to lie to gullible humans.”

“Vulcans do not lie.”

Jim laughed then. He couldn’t help it. And it was hysterical, this laugh. Because he was. “I don’t know any other Vulcans to know if that’s true.”

The lights went out.

Again.

His heart thundered. It wasn’t the storm, he was sure.

Jim kissed Spock softly. Then pulled away. “Here we go.”


	13. Chapter 13

Spock was startled when he realized Jim was heading toward the bedroom. He grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Where are you going?’

“To get my shotgun,” Jim whispered. “Do you think I’m going to deal with this unarmed? No way.”

“I am uncertain that your shotgun will be effective against the Marconians and even if it is, you would be taking a big chance going into the bedroom. They are likely lying in wait.”

Jim shook his head stubbornly. “Then I’ll have to face it.” He felt for Spock’s phaser. “You’re armed, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“I know, it’s probably some kind of ray gun. You can cover me while I get the shotgun. Look, I get it, you’re a big bad alien who has to save the human from the other worse aliens. But I can’t do that neck thing you did outside, and I’m not going to stand here helpless.”

Spock held back a sigh. “Very well. Proceed with caution.”

He had a terrible feeling about all of this and he felt suddenly very uncertain he could keep Jim safe, but it was absolutely imperative that he do so.

He did not want to watch this Jim die, again. He wanted this Jim to live and find what happiness he was entitled to have, the life he’d been meant to have before everyone from the future came to destroy him.

But the priority over all of that, for him, for his future, for the future of the very Earth, actually, was the absolute guarantee that his captain, his Jim Kirk, must be assured of existence. Spock could not and would not accept anything else.

As they crept through the dark house, Spock remained on high alert, trying not to jump at every shadowy shape, which was not at all like him.

He made Jim stop when they reached the bedroom, looking in himself, cautiously. He saw nothing, so he gestured for Jim to go ahead and enter and retrieve his shotgun.

Jim was fast as he slipped past Spock, grabbing up the shotgun, and making sure it was loaded. Then he turned back to Spock.

“I’m ready.”

Spock went first, but stopped when he saw a moving shape in Jim’s kitchen. Jim saw it too and tensed behind him.  “Stay here,” Spock whispered.

He didn’t wait for Jim to acknowledge his order and instead rushed toward the kitchen, phaser raised. Just as he reached the shape in the kitchen, he heard a gasp behind him.

“What the hell —”

“ _Jim_. _No_.” Spock turned.

Jim was backing away from a Marconian who had taken on the appearance of Jim himself. Dressed identical and holding a shotgun just like Jim.

“Jim, shoot.”

“But I—”

Spock fired his phaser at the other one just as it fired at Jim. To Spock’s horror, Jim went flying back into the room, falling to the ground.

Spock fired at the doppelganger again and it disappeared, then he turned and fired quickly at the one in the kitchen.

The lights flickered on and Spock rushed to Jim.

The human male lay motionless, red blood pouring from a wound in his stomach.

“No. No.” Spock pulled out his communicator. “Spock to McCoy. McCoy, get down here. McCoy.”

****

It seemed an eternity before Leonard McCoy appeared in Jim’s living room, carrying medical equipment. He glanced only briefly at Spock, before crouching down next to Jim.

“My God, this is Jim.” He looked up at Spock, eyes wide.

“No. But it is his ancestor. Please. There is little time.”

“He looks…so much like him.” McCoy began to scan him.

“Yes.”

Jim stirred, his eyelids flutter open. He stared ay McCoy. “Who are you?”  

“A friend,” Leonard assured him. “A doctor.”

“It really hurts.”

“It won’t for much longer.”

Jim looked past Leonard to Spock. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

“Stay quiet, Jim. And let the doctor treat you.”

“Are you from the future too?”

McCoy stiffened but he didn’t look at Spock. “Yes. Yes, I am.” He stared at Jim. “Your eyes are like the darkest sapphire I’ve ever seen.”

Jim smiled faintly. “When I was a boy my mother used to say they were Kanchanaburi sapphires.”

“Yeah? Not heard of those.”

Jim gasped. “You-you wouldn’t. They were probably mined out by your time.”

“Shh, Jim. Lie still.”

“Am I going to die, doc?”

“No Jim Kirk is going to die on my watch, kid. You’re going to be fine.”

“Spock,” Jim  said faintly.

Spock knelt down beside them. “Yes, Jim?”

“Hold my hand?”

Spock reached for it and held onto it while McCoy continued to treat him.

“The Marconians are no longer a problem,” the doctor said, as he worked. “Scotty and Giotto took care of the rebel faction, and the Marconian government intervened as well.”

Jim’s eyes flickered closed.

“Doctor?”

“Just…there. All healed.” McCoy leaned back. “I gave him a sedative earlier to help with the pain while I dealt with his injury.”

“It was too close.”

“Yes. But as soon as you’re ready we can go back to the ship and our time.” Leonard smiled. “Then we can get Jim back in the chair and safe.”

Spock nodded. He still held Jim’s hand even though the human was now out. “If you will permit me time—”

“Something left to do here?”

“Yes. I will notify the Enterprise when I am ready.”

They stood.

“Is there something you aren’t telling me, Spock?”

“Negative. I merely want to leave the situation the same it was before the Marconians and us arrived to interfere.”

He nodded. “The Prime Directive.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” McCoy put his hand on Spock’s arm. “You did something really great, Spock. You saved our Jim and this one.”

“Thank you, Leonard. I will contact the ship when I am finished,” he said again.

McCoy’s gaze flicked to Jim on the floor. His expression softened. “Yeah. You take care of him.”

When McCoy finally departed, Spock bent down and scooped Jim up in arms. He brought him into his bedroom and removed the bloodied shirt Jim had been wearing and then used a wash cloth to clean him of dried blood. Then when that was done, Spock dressed him in his pajamas. He didn’t wake up through all of Spock’s ablutions.  

Then Spock went and picked up Jim’s discarded shotgun and returned it to its place in Jim’s bedroom.

But even when all that was done, Spock lingered and sat down on the edge of the bed to watch Jim sleep.

When Jim opened his eyes, Spock was watching him.

“Hi.”

“Hello Jim.”

“It’s over, isn’t it?”

“Yes. You are safe. The Marconians will not bother you again.”

Jim nodded. “Come closer.”

Spock never did ignore an order from Jim, so he did. Moving up into Jim’s personal space.

“You’re leaving?”

Spock hesitated. “I must.”

“I know,” Jim said softly. “You’re going back to your future and leaving me to mine. It’s all right. I know how it has to be.” He smiled again. “At least I’ll have my memories of you and of our time together. And you don’t have to worry. I’ll never tell anyone.”

“I know you will not.”

“No one would believe me anyway.”

“Likely not,” Spock agreed.

“And you…you’ll go back to my…descendent.”

“Yes.”

“You should tell him how you feel, Spock. Don’t waste any more time, okay?”

He nodded.

“I mean it. You deserve to be with him and he-he deserves to-to be with you.” Jim blinked rapidly and Spock saw the moisture there. “Because-because I can’t be.”

“Jim,” he whispered.

“I know. I know everything. And maybe it’s just-it’s just a little unfair. But you had him first anyway and there’s no real way for you and me to be together. I know. This…time would never allow for that. And it’s good that your time does, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s…I’m a little bit in love with you, Spock.” He wiped his eyes. “Sorry.”

“It is I who am sorry, Jim.”

Jim shook his head. “There’s no need for you to be. You gave me you even if it was really for a short time. And I’ll have that, anyway.”

Spock leaned down and pulled Jim into his arms and held him close, his heart thundering hard in his side. “You should rest now, Jim.”

“I am tired,” Jim admitted. “That took a lot out of me.” He laughed. “Being shot.”

“Yes.” Spock put his fingers on Jim’s face and gently laid his head on the pillow. “Sleep. When you wake all will be well.”

“Can I have a goodbye kiss?”

Spock closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss Jim’s warm, beautiful lips. He found that he was shaking a little and he was unable to stop himself. His control was shot and he was an emotional wreck.

“Hey.” Jim’s fingertips grazed his cheek. “I’ll be all right, okay?”

“Yes, Jim.” He flexed his fingers over Jim’s psi points.

Jim’s eyes closed slowly.

“Forget.”

 

“Energize,” Spock said into his communicator, his gaze remaining on Jim as his particles broke up.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

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“Spock? Hey. Spock. You okay?”

Spock started at the sound of Jim’s voice. He stared down at his station and then started breathing again as gold came into view.

He looked up into the gorgeous, intense blue eyes of his captain. Cerulean. Breathtaking. And that smile. Though at the moment it was quizzical as he gazed down at Spock.

“Mister Spock?”

“Yes, Captain?”

“Everything all right?”

He could not tear his gaze away to even look at his instruments. Jim was there, real and so beautiful, Spock found it hard to maintain control. He wanted to hold onto him, pull him near, by the gold tunic, and hold him with him for eternity.

“Everything is…perfect, Jim.”

That got him the full force of the Kirk smile, which had been his desire.

“When our shifts are over, Captain, if you would indulge me for a private audience?”

“Sure, sure.” The smile slipped a fraction. “But everything is all right?”

“Very much so, Captain.”

Jim put his hand on Spock’s shoulder and squeezed. It was brief and hardly could be felt through the material of his shirt, but illogically, it felt like home.

His gaze remained on his captain as he turned to return to his captain’s chair. The whole bridge was abuzz with energy and harmony, all because of their affection and admiration for their commanding officer.

“Mister Sulu, lay in a course for Genovia 5.”

“Course laid, Captain.”

“Warp 2.”

****

When Spock stood at the door to the captain’s quarters he felt extremely nervous and he did not understand why.

Yes, he was about to confess his love for Jim, but there was something in Jim’s smile, something that had been there for long before the Marconians, that assured Spock his declaration would be welcome and even returned. But he supposed this moment had been so anticipated by both of them it was natural to have some trepidation.

“Come,” Jim’s voice called to Spock to enter.

The door slid open and Spock stepped inside.

Jim had already removed his gold tunic and boots. He stood in the middle of his quarters, barefoot, and only in the regulation trousers and black undershirt that clung to him like a second skin.

“Hey, Spock. You want something to eat or drink?”

He shook his head. “Only if it is you.”

Jim cocked his head. “What?”

Spock took several steps forward until he was within touching distance of his captain. “I…find myself at a loss for words.”

“You? Tongue tied?”

“It occurs more often when I am around you than you realize.”

Speaking of tongues, Jim’s came out to trace around his lips, a habit Spock had long found fascinating.

“I’m guessing that continuing our chess game wasn’t what you had in mind.”

“I love you,” Spock heard himself blurt out. And he realized then that he really was ridiculously nervous and perhaps not as certain of his captain’s response as he had assumed he was.

Those blue blue eyes widened and Jim’s mouth opened slightly.

“I have surprised you,” Spock surmised.

Jim nodded. But his mouth now curved into the gentlest of smiles. “But only how easily that came out.”

“It was not easy.”

He laughed. “No, I guess it wouldn’t be. For either of us.” He took one step forward and placed his hand on Spock’s chest, just under the collar of his tunic. “I’m so crazy in love with you I can’t even think straight.”

And Spock could not help it, he smiled, for those were probably the most precious, spectacular words he had ever heard. Jim was staring at him again, somewhat in awe.

“Forgive me, Jim. I am experiencing a large sense of relief at your declaration. In human terms, I am…giddy.”

When Jim’s hand came up to cup Spock’s cheek he leaned into it, basking in the touch, of the feel of his…T’hy’la.

“You’re shaking,” Jim whispered.

“I am…overwhelmed.”

Jim’s lips were a mere half an inch from his, he could feel his warm breath. “I should have told you before. I’ve been holding this secret in my heart and I was going to tell you, but then there was the battle and…”

Spock touched his mouth to Jim’s. “Someone told me that we should waste no more time and I could not agree more.”

Jim closed his eyes, his lips softening under Spock’s renewed assault.

This was so right, so intense, it shook Spock to his core.

He drew back, long enough to look in those familiar blue eyes, his thumb grazing over plump, moistened lips. “You have no idea how much I feel for you. It borders on obsession, which I know is not at all healthy or logical, but—”

“Spock,” Jim interrupted with an unsteady laugh. “Me too. And maybe it’s not, I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just know I don’t want to spend another moment without knowing how it feels to have you all over me.”

“Whatever you desire is yours,” Spock said, roughly. “There is no one and nothing that means more than you.”

Jim’s mouth found his. “Show me.”

Spock knew he would like nothing better and he quickly maneuvered Jim over to the bed. This was his T’hy’la, precious and pure in a way no other could ever be, and Spock intended to be careful with him.

“There’s lube in the drawer over there,” Jim told him.

Spock nodded but didn’t move immediately to the drawer. Instead he lingered over Jim’s lips and jaw, his mouth trailing over the slightly stubbled chin. He slid his hands up under Jim’s undershirt, his thumbs indenting into the flesh at his sides, memorizing each line, each mole, each muscle along the way.

Touching Jim, learning what he reacted to and how, was one of life’s greatest pleasures, Spock decided.    

When it was time, Spock shoved the hem of that black shirt up Jim’s abdomen, fingertips grazing over the fur-lined stomach and up towards Jim’s sculpted pectoral muscles.

“You are magnificent,” he breathed out, reverently. So much perfect, golden skin.

Jim’s eyes grew even bluer and Spock had not thought that possible, but he was ready to drown in them. Those lips, sensuous and plump from kissing, curved upward, causing a dimple to appear. He brushed Spock’s hands away to tug the undershirt off over his head himself.

It was barely discarded across the room before Spock seized hold of him once more, his hands caressing Jim’s biceps, drinking in every part of him.

Then he went to undo Jim’s pants, but Jim shook his head.

“Not yet. Your shirts first.”

Spock was fairly certain that no one had ever looked at him the way Jim looked at him. With such unbridled passion and love that it stole his breath and made him feel so incredibly special. That he might not have had this was mind-boggling.

“Spock?”

He shook his head. “I simply must state that once more I am…overwhelmed.”

“Me too,” Jim admitted, but to Spock he looked anything but. He simply looked as poised and together as Spock had come to expect from him, but then, he knew Jim hid a lot on the inside.

His captain helped him to remove his undershirt and tunic all at once, and Spock felt just a bit intimidated, for he knew he was skinny compared to Jim, but that love and passion didn’t diminish from those blue eyes one bit as Jim looked at him.

“Glorious,” Jim said and Spock felt that it was true. His hands closed over Spock’s biceps drawing him in for a long, lingering kiss that had Spock’s penis rising painfully in his trousers.

“I have never wanted anyone more than I want you,” Spock told him.

“Then come…have me.”

Spock quickly removed his own boots so that they could now concentrate on getting off their pants, which had definitely become a priority for both of them.

Now naked, they fell on to the mattress together, tangling limbs and reaching hands as they found each other’s mouths again.

“I could kiss you forever and never get tired of it.” Jim cupped his jaw, kissing him over and over as if to prove it.

The words were completely illogical and yet Spock found himself treasuring them, cherishing everything Jim said or did, every reaction, every breath, every look.

He was lost in this human and he had no intention of ever getting out.

It was Jim who crawled on the bed toward the drawer that held the lubricant he had referred to earlier. Spock watched him, his mouth dry and his breathing heavy, as Jim’s rounded buttocks wiggled slightly as he moved. Spock’s phallus jumped between his legs.

He reached for Jim and tugged him back.

Jim laughed as Spock pushed him down flat against the bed. “Somebody’s anxious.”

“Eager. And you have no idea.”

Jim’s hand slipped between their bodies to close his fingers around Spock’s erection. “Oh, I have a pretty good idea.”

“ _Jim._ ”

Suddenly Spock found himself on his back with Jim looming over him.

“I want to ride you,” Jim said, hoarsely, wantonly. “Prepare me.”

Spock squirted out a generous amount of the lubricant, thoroughly coating his fingers. Jim kept his gaze on him the entire time. He slipped two fingers between the round mounds of Jim’s ass and into his puckered hole.

“Yes,” Jim groaned out. “Oh God.”

“You. Are. So. Wonderfully. Tight.”

“Mmm. Going to feel real good when I squeeze down on you.”

Spock barely maintained control as he scissored his digits inside Jim.  Jim leaned up on his haunches and spread his legs out further, allowing Spock deeper access to finger him.

“Next time I wish to place my tongue here,” Spock advised, surprising himself at how bold he had become.

“Yeah? Next time I look forward to it then.” Jim moaned loud and decadent. “Right now I really want your cock inside me.”

“Believe me, Captain, I want the same.”

“Oh, fuck. That’s really hot.” Jim pushed down on Spock’s fingers, causing Spock’s eyes to roll back and his cock to jump again. “Better hurry.”

“Yes.”

Spock pulled out his fingers and managed, somehow, to coat his erection without exploding and ruining everything. He then pulled Jim’s cheeks apart, gripping a cheek in each hand.

Jim stared down at him, straddling Spock, pupils blow wide, swallowing all the blue except a little round rim around them, his mouth open as he panted.

Spock’s cock slowly penetrated him, pushing up deep between the plump cheeks, past the tight ring of muscle. He was close to coming undone, it was so intense, so shattering.

When he was fully imbedded in Jim, he changed the position of his hands to Jim’s hipbones, holding him in place, as Jim frantically fucked himself on Spock. The bed rocked and creaked with their motions. Spock lifted off the bed to pound up and into his T’hy’la, over and over.

Jim’s leaking cock, heavy, long and thick, bobbed between his legs, the pre-cum streaking across Spock’s stomach. Spock freed a hand from Jim’s hip and wrapped around that pulsing cock, slick and hot like steel.

Jim cried out, grounding down on Spock’s shaft as he thrashed and thrust over and over, cum splattering Spock everywhere.

It was more than Spock could handle.  His whole body feeling shocked and buzzed as he screamed his own release, pumping into Jim deep and thoroughly as he filled Jim’s clenching channel.

His captain collapsed upon him, limbs heavy and worn out. Spock’s arms wrapped tightly around the human, who now stretched across him, warm and soft, and so wanted and needed. And loved.

“I love you,” Spock whispered against Jim’s sweat soaked hair. His fingers spread across Jim’s psi points, seeking every touch, every connection he could have with this amazing being.

Jim nodded his permission, his acceptance. “I love you too.”

****

It was two days later when Spock came into Jim’s quarters, he hoped that they would be his too, soon, as he had no intention of ever sleeping alone again, and not thinking of the quarters as theirs, was just a formality at this point, they were both thoroughly and firmly committed to each other and always would be.

Jim greeted him with that beautiful smile Spock would never tire of and held out his hand for Spock to take. “Come here. I want to show you something.”

Over the last two days they’d talked of many things, hopes dreams, bonding formally, marrying, talking to Starfleet, Pon Farr, any and all futures.

But still Spock was surprised when Jim drew him to his desk, and to his terminal.

“Sit.”

Spock shot Jim a questioning look, but he did as Jim said. And then as Jim leaned past him to type something, Spock could not help but pull his captain on to his lap. Jim laughed, but did not protest.

“What is it I am to look at?” Spock wondered. He adjusted Jim so that he sat upon Spock’s lap a little more comfortably for them both. He saw Jim looking at him. “What?”

“You are just…way more touchy feely than I thought you’d be.”

“I will never tire of touching you everywhere,” he admitted, his fingers finding bare skin under Jim’s shirts.

“Later. Look.” Jim leaned forward and brought up a file that he clicked on.

Spock looked at the screen and gasped a little when he saw what was clearly an old wedding photograph of a man and woman in formal dress.

“It is…”

“Jim Kirk. Yeah.” His captain smiled. “And his wife Sadie.”

Spock swallowed as he stared at the photograph of another Jim he had loved. He was smiling, bright and happy, his eyes soft with love for the woman in his arms.

“They look happy,” Jim murmured.

“Yes.”

“And there’s more.”

Jim clicked and another photograph came up of Jim and Sadie poolside with another couple, laughing and posing for the camera. Then he switched again to the Kirks with their children, beautiful children, who resembled their parents. And pretty soon Jim had shown him many photographs of Jim and Sadie Kirk and their children through the years, as they aged, and shared what was clearly a wonderful life together.

He turned to Jim, who had been watching him with a gentle smile. “How did you know?”

“Bones. Mostly. And I figured some stuff out myself. Scotty and Giotto filled me in on the Marconian stuff.”

Spock blew out a breath. “It was not my intention to keep secrets from you.”

“I know. I didn’t think that. I just…I wanted you to see, what you did, not just for me, Spock, but for him. He had a good life. And they were happy.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Does…does it bother you that I loved him?”

Jim shook his head. “I’ve loved other Spocks.”

Spock looked at him in surprise.

He shrugged. “I’m pretty sure I love all the Spocks in all the universes and all the timelines.”

“I would do anything for you. I would die for you. Kill for you. There is nothing I would not do, no timeline or universe I would not cross.” Spock stared at him intently. “Always for you.”

“I know.” Jim kissed him. “Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me.”

“You do not understand, Jim. It is you have saved me.”

 

 

Sadie Kirk looked at the time on the clock on the wall. It was getting late and her husband was still outside. With a sigh, she flung down the dish towel, and went to the front door.

“Jim? Are you coming inside?”

“In a minute, honey.”

Sadie walked off the porch and into the yard, where her husband stood, looking up at the sky.

“What are you doing?”

He smiled at her and drew her into his arms. “Wishing on a star, like always.”

“Come inside. It’s getting cold out here.”

“All right.” He put his arm around her as they walked to the front door. He stopped on the front step and looked back up at the sky, eyes narrowing. Then he shook his head and walked into the house with her.

“I know what I’m getting you for Christmas.”

“Yeah?”

“A telescope!”

He laughed then and picked her up off her feet and spun her around until she was giggling like a school girl. He always did that to her.

“Jim! Put me down,” she finally pleaded, breathless.

“Come on, honey. Let’s go to bed.”  
    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two photos you see at the start of this chapter are what started it all, the idea for this fic.  
> Originally I posted a few chapters, back, well, I don't know when I started it, but I had deleted it for a time. I re-started it August 16, 2018 and today, April 10, 2019 it is finished. 
> 
> I am exceedingly happy with this particular fic and most especially this final chapter. I worked quite hard on it. I will miss 1950s Jim, but I think I gave him as happy an ending as I could, and you can decide for yourself, based on this, whether Jim forgot as Spock intended.
> 
> As for Spock, he most definitely got his happily ever after with the most magnificent Captain Jim Kirk. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and indulging me.


End file.
